Projects

Orangery, Maldon

Adding an orangery to a farm-house style property

An extension job in Maldon has seen us adding an orangery onto the back of a farm-house property with the trademark latern roof and plenty of light that you expect from this type of room - along with the amazing space that they create! From foundation stage to moving in day, this project took around 8-10 weeks and we are really pleased with the outcome. We had a gorgeous setting to work with, with 3 useable walls for natural light and plenty of scenic views in every direction! We had to get in touch with our client from Little Baddow for this project as our new client fell in love with the corner sofa that they were using in their kitchen, we must say it looks great in this room too - really making the most of the bi-folding doors, log burner and the wonderful views.

The gallery is on it's way!

Barn Style Stable Block, Maldon

Converting a dilapidated barn into an attractive stable block with 4 stables, a solarium and installing a small kitchen area into the tack room.

Although this was an unusual project for us, it was very enjoyable and we became great friends with the owners of the new stables; Black-Jack & Mr. Snowy.

We were unable to use much of the original structure due to it being unmaintained and on the verge of collapse. The client was after a traditional, attractive looking feature barn along with a new hard-standing area. Once the structure was complete, with new windows and panelling in the stables, we moved onto the side extension that now houses the solarium and an area of undercover storage. The external elements of the building were our next job - replacing the roof, adding skylights, and weatherboarding the entire barn in black. Then we moved onto installing a basic kitchen into the tack room, consisting of a sink and a few practical cupboards, before laying the concrete for the new hard-standing area.

Before leaving this project we added a few little touches such as engraved name plaques for the horses and matching hooks for their lead-ropes and head collars. We also worked with the client to arrange menage materials and find the best matting for the stables, ensuring that they got the best price, and fitted this before we left. It was very satisfying completing a project that we have never done before, and it's safe to say we have all learnt a great deal about the care of horses - we hope that they are very happy in their new home!

Development of a 3 bedroom bungalow into a 4 bedroom chalet property with 2 double garages, conservatory and family room/kitchen.

This project involved a great amount of design, thought and creativity, transforming a run-down old bungalow into a modern and warm family home. The kitchen/family room was created using the natural slope in the property's land, stepping down into it from an open, airy and bright hallway. The clients wanted to make the most of their beautiful garden and we achieved this using bi-folding doors and level outdoor decking.

After removing the original fireplace and knocking 2 rooms together, the family lounge is now a fantastic size with 2 bay windows and a large fireplace on the opposite end. A new room has been built for the dining room which is also a great size, and a conservatory is currently being built off of here.

Downstairs also features a utility room with an exit to the garden, a large downstairs toilet, storage cupboards and a bedroom suite for the client's daughter; a door leading to a small hallway that allows access to a dressing room, bedroom and en-suite bathroom. Each room has it's own doorway to potentially be used as 2 bedrooms. The remaining 3 bedrooms are upstairs. 2 great sized double bedrooms with plenty of character that comes with a chalet property, a family bathroom at the top of the stairs and at the other end of the house, a master suite with a very large bedroom and beautiful en-suite bathroom.

This project has been great fun and, due to it's size, has brought us all together to work as a team. Oh, did we mention that we have managed to complete the works with the clients still living in the property? It sounds crazy, and may not be ideal for all, but it can work!

This type of job is a favourite of ours; a total make-over if you like. The client had recently moved into their home and was desperate for a more modern master bedroom with more useable space, they felt as though their bedroom was "a room of wardrobes with just enough space for a bed", and not the relaxing place that it should be.

We removed all of the fitted wardrobes, skirting, coving and flooring, taking the room back to 4 blank walls and revealing a desperate need for new plaster, which we had expected. Once re-plastered, we replaced the skirting & coving and began work on the new fitted wardrobes, which were only going to be along one wall and not over the bed. Our client had thought about having a well-known company to fit the wardrobes but, believe it or not, the cost was almost double! We had spoken with our client prior to work starting to understand exactly what the space was going to be used for and what would work best for them - after some sketching and discussing, our client was happy with the plan and so we confidently proceeded. The carcass was installed first of course, on this occassion we had a central unit to house the TV (which would be hidden behind doors) with very large drawers beneath, and either side of the central unit we allowed room for double & single hanging areas and further drawers. And finally the doors and handles were fitted, they look great! Our client added a couple of bedisde tables to the room and we added handles to match the wardrobes. The result: a much fresher, modern bedroom, a better use of space, a very pleased client and so a very happy PDS!

Remember we are able to offer a bespoke furniture service fitting pretty much any kind of furniture into any kind of space - when the sizes in a catalogue or on a website just aren't quite right! And the furniture that we make can be done to fit your budget; materials, style and sizes to suit you.

Bespoke Carpentry work, Danbury

Building a bespoke bridge

This was such a whimsical and enjoyable job - the client's request was for a small bridge for their garden - to maintain the ditch flow and covering a drainage pipe although I believe their young children thought it was a 'pixie bridge' and there certainly weren't any trolls underneath! We worked with the client to come up with a design that they liked, worked on the individual sections in our workshop and assembled them on site. Just another example of where your imagination can take you!